Hoops

Basketball Victoria - $7m complex

Basketball Victoria also welcomes a Federal Government commitment to the new State Basketball Centre project. The Federal Minister or Veterans Affairs Mr Alan Griffin on behalf of The Hon. Anthony Albanese MP Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government today announced a grant of $7 million towards the construction of a new State Basketball Centre in the City of Knox. The project will now receive funding in the amount of $14 million from both Federal and State Governments. Basketball Victoria CEO Wayne Bird said This is further recognition of our sports importance in the Victorian community and we thank both the Federal and State Governments for their support of our continually growing sport. Facilities are important for all sports and we applaud the efforts of the Knox City Council and Knox Basketball Association for their collaboration and initial planning of this project. The $27.65 million project, which is being managed by the Knox City Council, will provide a centre for basketball and soccer. It will also serve as a first-class sporting facility for the eastern region of Melbourne and surrounding areas. The State Basketball Centre will also serve as the headquarters of Basketball Victoria and Knox Basketball Inc and help encourage development of professional and recreational basketball." $27.65 million!!!!! That's a lot more than the $7m I thought it was going to cost! It's going to be a huge complex when it is finished!

HO, in some ways you are right - the power of basketball in Victoria is very much based in the Eastern corridor.

However the area they will be building the new venue is crying out for more courts. I think most Associations would love the extra court space, in both the West and East. A lot of venues have games starting every night of the week at 10:15pm or later!

I do believe the Western side holds the most potential though for growth as you correctly outline.

It is about a 30-40min drive out from the city via either freeway linked by Eastlink. Peak hour would be a bit different...

This has been on the cards for the past 2-3 years...the site is in Scoresby on located right on the new Eastlink. It's location is within a 5-10min drive of Nunawading Basketball Stadium, and about 15-20min from the current 6-court Knox venue in Boronia.

Knox is the biggest Association in Australia, and with this new venue they will only get even bigger IMO. And they will be right on the doorstep of local rivals Nunawading (there may be a few furrowed brows down in Spectre land).

I would not be surprised to see the South Dragons play home games at this new venue either as it is located in the Eastern corridor of Melbourne where basketball participation is at its highest anywhere in the world.